Last Updated on 4 months by Ashley Michael
President Donald Trump expressed strong displeasure Thursday with Russian President Vladimir Putin following a deadly missile barrage on Kyiv, calling for an end to the attacks as peace negotiations remain ongoing. “I didn’t like last night — I wasn’t happy with it,” Trump said in the Oval Office. “We’re in the midst of talking peace, and missiles were fired.”
The remarks followed a Truth Social post earlier in the day in which Donald Trump directly urged Putin to stop the assault, writing, “I am not happy with the Russian strikes on KYIV. Not necessary, and very bad timing. Vladimir, STOP! 5000 soldiers a week are dying. Lets get the Peace Deal DONE!”
When asked by reporters whether new sanctions against Russia were being considered, Trump held back. “I want to see if we can have a deal. No reason to answer it now, but I won’t be happy. Things will happen,” he warned.
On whether Ukraine might need to cede territory to secure a ceasefire, “It depends on what territory.” He acknowledged the difficulty of reversing Russian control of Crimea, which was annexed under the Obama administration.
Behind the scenes, the Trump administration is reportedly considering formally recognizing Russia’s annexation of Crimea, a move that signals a major shift in long-standing U.S. foreign policy.
Still, President Donald Trump has stressed the ongoing diplomatic pressure. “We’re putting a lot of pressure on Russia,” he said. “Putin knows that.”